Hal McCoy has a candid interview with Jason LaRue, and LaRue isn't content with splitting time next year:
I'm no cancer in the clubhouse, not a complainer, and I never have been," and proves it by saying, "David Ross has had a great year." [...] "I don't know what they're thinking, but if I'm not No. 1 then I would prefer they move me," he said. "Actually, for what they are paying me ($9.1 million for this year and next), it makes no business sense if I'm not No. 1."I'm not a backup catcher, never have been," he said. "I played all last season with a broken wrist (hairline fracture) and had the best year of my career." [...] "Right now, the ball is in their court as to what they want to do with me. It is their decision. I have no plans to go spring training as the backup catcher. There is no sense keeping me if that's the plan. If that's the plan, trade me, absolutely, no doubt."
First instinct is obviously outrage, that a guy who couldn't hit .200 is speaking up like this. I'm not sure why this needed to be aired through the media, when LaRue could have just as easily privately expressed his feelings to the front office, and probably more effectively.
One thing about Wayne Krivsky is that he tries to be fair with his players. You see that with every time a Reds player was cut this season. Wayne was always in the paper saying that the Reds would do all they could to find a good situation for the player. Look at the Cody Ross situation. Cincinnati could have kept him on the bench, but they shipped him to Florida, where he played. I don't know if Wayne would do the same thing with a higher profile player like LaRue, but my gut says that he probably would.
The catching situation is one of the more up in the air issues surrounding the team heading to the off season, and I'm not really sure if there's even a right or wrong answer. I can't really see myself being upset regardless of who the Reds end up keeping, be it Ross or LaRue. But I do find it kind of disappointing that LaRue would speak up like this after the way he's hit this season.